


Building Bridges

by WorkingOnIt135



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Slow Burn, Stuttering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23988427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorkingOnIt135/pseuds/WorkingOnIt135
Summary: Mary Blake is a timid girl with a troubling life. Moving to Riverdale the summer before freshman year, she finds that Southside High has more than a bad reputation and gangs in store for her. Meeting two boys of opposing gangs and making friends, Mary discovers that her life is about to take a drastic change.
Relationships: Fangs Fogarty/Original Female Character(s), Kurtz (Riverdale)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First time posting a story. My laptop is getting full of fanfiction, so I decided it was time to share what I think is my best/favorite work.

With a worried bottom lip trapped between her teeth, Mary Blake made her way into Southside High. It was her first day; a freshman none-the-less; and she was still very new in Riverdale. The metal detectors and guards with batons put her off guard as she tried to copy everyone else. Taking off her jacket and necklace, placing them in the bin with her phone; the girl walked through hesitantly. Waiting for them to finish shuffling through her satchel; she looked around. Every other kid was acting like it was normal. Accepted. Stumbling through the crowd to find the administrative office; Mary found her way to the desk with nearly a dozen other kids. Everyone pushing and trying to talk over each other. Quietly, the girl made her way to the bench and waited. By the first bell for homeroom, the older woman behind the desk waved her forward; “Name and year?” She asked. “M-Mary Blake, ma’am.” Shyly, she fiddled with the strap of her bag as the woman typed away. Hearing the printer and being handed a time schedule; she headed late to her first class with a note from the woman. It didn’t take Mary long to find her homeroom and first period, English I. The teacher, Mr. Phillips, gave her a wry smile when she entered; vaguely pointing to the rows of mostly filled desks, “Find a seat, Miss…” He paused to look over the schedule in her hands, “Blake.” Looking out at the other kids, she felt pale. Most eyes were on her as she scanned the room for an empty seat, taking the closest. It was in the front row, near the window. To Mary, it was an optimal seat. No one sat next to her and she had the window to herself. Mr. Phillips raised his eyebrow, but clapped his hands for everyone’s attention, “Alright guys, listen up! Today, we will be getting to know one another and the syllabus for this year. We’re going to partner up in groups of three.” Cue the groans and ‘boo’s sounding from the teenagers. The teacher waved them off and rolled his eyes; “I can already tell that most of you will be a problem, so this project will count for a quarter of your grade this year. Pass this, it’s smooth sailing for the next few weeks.” He compromised and something said that the man was used to this. Kids coming in with no intentions to really learn, but more so that they don’t get truancy. Mary thought it was nice that he was willing to help kids pass his class instead of passing them along just to get rid of them. “I’m going to be deciding groups.” And the class simultaneously groaned in protest again. Mary watched as he walked around the room, pointing to kids and pairing them up at random. At least, she thought it was random. Until she was paired with two boys. Taking notice of the boy-girl ratio and notable gang members; she put together what he seemed to be trying to do. Two rival gangs with an unallied buffer. She; a newbie nobody; with a Serpent and a Ghoulie. Being new to Riverdale; she was quick to learn of these two groups. Her mother pointing out how to identify who; telling her to steer clear of both. Mostly the Serpents though, seeing as her stepfather is a Ghoulie. They sat awkwardly at the cluster of desks they moved over, the girl watching both boys and wondering where to start.  
With paper and pen at the ready, she wrote her name at the top of the paper, “S-so; what are your n-names?” Her stutter drawing their attention from the staring contest they seemed to be having. The Serpent leaned forward, “Fogarty; but you can call me Fangs.” He gave the girl a small grin and a wink. He was buff with dark hair and equally dark eyes; his grin dimpled. If Mary was any other girl, she might have found him attractive. Seeing his leather Serpent jacket made her reign in any thoughts on that as she wrote down his name next to hers. Looking to the other boy, his blue eyes caught her own and she gave him an expecting look. His short brown hair and smaller stature made him seem young. Then again, his clothes were black and ripped and he sported a similar jacket to her stepfather’s. A Ghoulie for sure. “Kurtz.” He muttered, looking away as she wrote his name down as well. Her writing was neat, cursive, and in black ink. She had a feeling this was not going to be so easy.  
“S-since you two obviously won’t b-be caught dead in a room together, we can do o-one on one session.” Mary began to explain, already understand that most of the work would be on her. “I’ll go over the key q-questions with one of you, then r-relay it to the other when I switch p-partners.” The girl thought it might be the best plan of action since she was working with rivals. The less time they spent together, the fewer chances they have of fighting. Mr. Phillips had given detailed instruction on the questions and the standard number of sentences required. A paragraph for each question; then the last had to be at least three paragraphs long. It was also mentioned that he would be looking for and taking off for repetitive words or copied work, but Mary figured she could work around that. With her old recorder, she could just have them listen to each other’s sessions and write depending on how they interpret it.  
At the nods of agreement, she took out a quarter from her lunch money, “Call it.” She said to Fangs. “Heads.” He claimed with a quirk of his eyebrow. As it flipped, she caught it with one and hand flipped it onto the back of her other without looking. Wasting no time; she moved her hand to show them the outcome. “Tails.” Kurtz grinned in triumph like he had won something. “W-with three weeks to do this project, a-along with homework from other classes, we should m-meet up twice this week.” Already beginning another plan with the Ghoulie; Mary tugged at her sleeve absentmindedly. “Your place if we can. Or a c-café.” The boy nodded. She slides her notebook over to him, “Can y-you put your number b-by your name? We can f-figure out a day later.” After he jotted down his number, she did the same with Fangs. With both numbers, Mary thought of what else she might need before the bell rang but came up empty. Gathering her things, she made her way to her next class; noticing that Fangs was walking with her, “Chemistry?” She asked, trying to seem casual. He looked down at her with a surprised look, “I don’t know, we just met and all.”  
The implication made her face turn red, “I-I m-m-mean the c-c-class.” Her stutter worsened as she pulled the strap of her satchel closer to her chest. At his boisterous laughter, she pursed her lips as she realized he had been joking. His hand patted her head, “Sorry, Blake; but your face got so red. I couldn’t help myself.” With a more relaxed walk, she finally let a small smile peek through, “Y-you nearly gave me a h-heart attack.” To her surprise, the taller boy sat next to her him their next class. He pulled her into a conversation with a few of his friends as they debated on if they could dissect a frog in chemistry. “T-that’s Biology, but I d-doubt they’ll let any of us h-hold scalpels.” The other two kids laughed at that and Mary did not feel quite as nervous about them anymore. Her next class; Algebra; she shared with Fangs and Kurtz. The other boy sat at the back of the class, not even looking her way as she sat in the front. Fangs moved to sit with his friends again as she waved him off; “S-sorry, but I need to p-pay extra attention in math. I’m r-really bad at it.” She grimaced as she sat down with her notebook out. Already, she knew she would need to talk to the teacher about a tutor.  
With her first three classes already done with, the girl made her way to the lunchroom and instantly hesitated. The chain fence acted as a barrier for the two gangs and she didn’t know where the neutral side was. Seeing an empty table by the wall; Mary made her way there with her lunch tray. No one seemed to be looking at her anyway, so she thought she might be safe enough. If Ghoulies gave her trouble, she could always mention her stepfather. Although that might put her as a target for the Serpents; they weren’t as much of a threat as the Ghoulies. Seeing as she was technically on the Ghoulie side of the fence; the girl knew it was a dangerous move. No matter where she sat; it was dangerous. If she sat on the Serpent side, her stepfather would kill her. Sitting on the Ghoulie side was the lesser of two evils though. A tray clattered next to her, startling the girl from her thoughts. Looking over at Kurtz; he didn’t say anything while sitting next to her. Still, she gave him a grateful smile before beginning to eat.  
After lunch, the worst part of the day started. Gym. She hadn’t prepared any clothes to change into, but luckily, the coach only had them practice lining up in order from their last names. Fangs and Kurtz were, once again, in the same class as her. Mary supposed it wasn’t so odd since they were all freshmen. After a few lineup drills; they got free time. Being it as the first day of school; there wasn’t much else to do. Sitting on the floor by the bleachers, mostly out of sight to write in her journal; Mary sighed. The day was overwhelming so far, as she predicted it to be that morning. The school and gangs were entirely different than that of her home in Atlanta, Georgia. She was mostly thankful that no one comments on her slightly country accent or knew her full name. The thought made her cringe at the teasing she would undoubtedly receive. Even though both boys were in gym with her, neither tried to socialize with the girl.  
Thankfully, Mary gathered her things as the bell rang again. The next class she had was Social Studies. To her surprise, Kurtz sat next to her with a sigh. “I’m free this Thursday. We can meet outside of school and go to my place.” He stated, waiting for her reaction. Surprised that he’d already had a plan, she nodded; “I-I’ll ask my folks, but it should b-be okay.” Biting her lip, “M-my curfew is before dark. T-they’ll kill me if I-I’m not home before the street l-lights come on.” She added, watching the boy nod. Quietly, class began. It could have been because the day was finally winding down, but everyone seemed to be less rowdy. The teacher covered the syllabus, monotone, and bored. It was clear that this was going to be an easy class, as Ms. Rye could barely keep her own eyes open. As the bell rang; signaling it was time for the last class; Mary stretched with her own yawn. Kurtz rolled his blue eyes at her, “Just one more class; don’t knock out now Blake.” It could have just been from the long day, but she swore the boy grinned as he walked ahead of her. Catching up with him; “L-like you’re not exhausted t-too.” She inquired with her own hint of a teasing grin. With a shrug, they entered their last class. Art. This was something she knew she could pass in her sleep. Sitting at an empty table, Kurtz moved next to her and, to her surprise once more, Fangs on her other side. “I don’t know anyone else in this class.” He defended with raised hands at her skeptical glance. Seeing that there really were no other Serpents; or even Ghoulies; Mary figured they’d have no problems without instigators. Other, more gang neutral, kids kept their distance from the three. As the teacher, a quirky guidance counselor who took over Art made her way around the room with the syllabus; Mary felt like she could finally relax a bit. This was a class that required very little brain power from her, and it was nice that she had an outlet for everything. “I want you to gather some paper and pencils, and draw me a picture of yourself.” The woman began; sounding whimsical as she stood in front of the class. Sitting up straighter, Mary paid more attention; “I want you to draw or sketch what you think you look like; do not be afraid to add colors or objects that describe what you like.” Even though it was a simple project; Mary frowned. It was only the first day, but the teacher was really diving right into personal things. Grabbing some paper, pencils, and erasers; she made her way back to the table and handed some over to either boy. Her eyes looked at the white sheet, wondering where to start. Her face; a baby-doll chin and rounded cheeks. Small lips; but not thin. A pert nose with a slightly long bridge. Almond-shaped blue eyes with sharp eyebrows. Pausing; Mary made sure there were no smudges before leaning over the paper once more. Even though it was shadowed; she could still see each line of hair her pencil made. Her hair, straight brown and parted in the middle, was long and thick. With a breath, she leaned back again to make sure it looked okay in the light. The two boys on either side of her were engrossed in their own portraits with concentrated looks.  
Taking a sharper pencil; she sketched things in the background. Large enough to cover the whole left corner; she outlined a sunflower. Overlapping that; she detailed her journal. Those took up the left open space and she thought of what to do for the right side. Deciding to draw out a skull with spiders crawling from the eyes and mouth; she thought the right side should be things she feared or didn’t like. Below that, she drew a dark silhouette of a man. Picking up the colored pencils; she shaded the left side blue and green. The sunflower being outlined yellow, but she made sure it was still mostly white. Her journal had been shaded brown; lighter than the shade she did for her hair. The right side was a swirl of red and black; making sure to blacken the spiders but keep the skull white. The vague figure of a man was pitch black. Focusing on her eyes, she outlined them blue and her lips a shade of pink. Her complexion; shaded in a light tan. Leaning back and breathing, she hadn’t known when she stopped. In all her focus, she held her breath.  
“Shit, that’s good.” Kurtz startled her a bit, making her jump. With a quirked grin, the girl rubbed the back of her head awkwardly; “It’s okay, I-I guess.” Truthfully, it wasn’t how she honestly saw herself. Maybe on the outside, something acceptable for class, but something inside of her was uglier. Fangs leaned over, “No; Ghoulie boy’s right on this one. You’re talented.” He complimented and patted her shoulder. Looking to the Serpents work, she pursed her lips to stop any amusement from slipping, “And you… R-Really know how to use singular lines.” Mary attempted to repay the compliment, but Kurtz laughed at the other boy’s drawing first and made her crack. Apologetically, she smiled at his frown, “D-don’t worry, Fangs. You can only g-get better from here.” He playfully pouted, leaning over her to look at Kurtz work, “It’s not as bad as that!” He laughed loudly, hitting his hand on the table dramatically. Seeing the odd shapes on Kurtz paper; Mary could put together his face. But that was it. He scowled; “At least it’s not sticks.” He commented. Fangs paused to return the scowl, “Shit is shit, man.” The tension thickened as the girl between them shuffled her things into her bag, “C-come on, guys. The bells going to r-ring any moment, c-calm down.” She nervously said, looking between the boys. They had gone all day without hostility, a few more minutes should be easier. Just as she thought this; the bell rang loudly. With a relieved sigh, they headed out and broke away from one another. She began her trek home alone. The house was empty and cold, with no note or message as to where her parental figures had gone. Taking the opportunity to sit at the table and do her homework; mostly ‘get to know you’ work; Mary chewed over everything that happened today. School had been mostly easy, and the gangs weren’t that difficult to manage around. Her stepfather, Dawson, would want to know everything that happened. Details of her classmates and teachers, no doubt. She waited up for them to come home after finishing her work.  
Bored of waiting, she debated on messages Kurtz or Fangs to see if they finished their work yet. Just as she entered them as contacts in her phone, the door opened. It was dark out, nearing eight at night when her mother and stepfather made their way into the living room. Her mother walked right past her, mumbling about changing and heading right for bed. Mary pursed her lips and stared at her hands as Dawson sat next to her; ignoring his wife; “How was school, Margret?” Her full name sounding foreign when he said it, sickly sweet, and her skin burned as he held her hands in his own, much larger ones. Swallowing heavily; “F-fine. I-I have a P-project in English t-that n-n-needs three weeks t-t-to do. I-I-I’m paired with t-t-two o-o-others.” The stutter worsened horribly as his thumb brushed over her wrist. He nodded, letting go of her to look over her schedule and schoolwork. “Have you spoken with the Algebra teacher about a tutor yet?” He asked, patiently waiting for her to stumble out an answer. “I-it’s the f-first day; s-so they’re g-gathering tutors.” Mary said, keeping her eyes on her hands. His fingers brushed her chin, pulling her head up to look at her face clearly to assess if she was lying. At the sight of his honey eyes, she felt like she was being suffocated. Under a microscope and stripped down. While her mother swooned over the man for his handsome features and a thick wallet; Mary knew better. She’d known the type of man he was and why he was with a gold-digger like her mother. His thumb brushed her bottom lip and she closed her eyes tightly. Suppressing everything and trying to ignore his hot mouth on hers, “I missed you so much today; Margret.” He murmured against her lips as his hands held her face to his. To keep her from moving away or for control, the girl didn’t know. All she knew was that she had to keep breathing slowly through her nose to stop her queasy stomach from rolling. Even if it made her dizzy; the girl waited for his face to move away from her own as she counted each breath she took. Trying to ignore the way it mingled with his. When he finally pulled back, she hung her head to catch her breath and avoid looking at the man. “Put all of this up and let’s go to bed.” Trying to ignore how heavy her stomach felt, the girl nodded and began to put everything back in her bag for school the next day. Her mother was probably already asleep from the Valium and Mary knew that tonight was going to be more difficult than any ‘first day’ could ever be. His hands; large and bruising and imposing; on her premature body haunted her for hours. His mouth leaving lingering marks on her, like claiming her as his possession. The next morning, her mother didn’t say anything about it. Even as the glaring red hickeys stood out from her pale shoulders, the woman just served eggs with a smile. “Daddy,” Mary began, her mouth feeling like cotton at the name she’d been taught to call him for nearly a year; “I need t-to m-m-meet with my first English p-partner tomorrow a-after school. I-is that o-o-okay?” Anxiously, she looked up at the man and hoped he was in a good enough mood. Watching his honey eyes, he chewed his food thoughtfully.  
“I suppose. Just don’t be out past curfew, young lady.” He agreed, waving his fork absentmindedly before continuing to eat. She forced a small smile, “I-I w-won’t. Thank y-you d-daddy.”


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting in English class, the three sat next to one another again, “M-my dad said I-I can go over t-tomorrow.” Mary said, looking directly at Kurtz. The dark-haired boy gave a nod as the teacher walked in. “So, today, I just want you guys to take this time to get to know your partners a little bit more. I understand that not all of you can meet up after school and with it being the second day; this is probably the best time for some of you to work on this project.” Mr. Phillips began, folding his hands together and leaning back on his desk. Mary pursed her lips as if knowing that neither boy was going to be willing to talk about anything personal. Pulling out her notebook, she thought to go an easier route; “W-why don’t I g-go first with the interview? You guys c-can take t-turns with the questions.” The girl figured it would get her session out of the way and help the boys relax a bit more since they won’t need to talk about anything personal to them. At the mutual nod, Fangs read over the first question; “How long have you lived in Riverdale?” And suddenly, it didn’t feel like a good idea anymore. She tugged at her long hair a bit, “I-I just moved here this s-summer. Before, I-I lived in Georgia. W-w-with m-m-my biological f-father.” It felt like she was choking on her words, trying to give them enough details for their assignment, but not enough to open old wounds. As they wrote, Fangs gave her a confused look, “Why did you move here?” It wasn’t a question from the paper, but simple curiosity. Pursing her lips; she thought for a moment what to tell them. Kurtz leaned forward a bit, unwilling to admit that he was interested as well. Yet, his blue eyes said otherwise as they watched her. “H-he got sent t-to prison; f-for life.” Mary wished she could lie, say that her mother won a custody battle or that he didn’t want her. Both answers would have been better. But the girl had never told a lie before. She never could and she never wanted to. Skimming around the truth or withholding bits; she could do that. Just never outright lie. Fangs let out a breath, “That’s rough, Mary. I’m sorry.” She wished he hadn’t said that. There wasn’t anything to be sorry for. Her dad had done terrible things that landed him in prison and left her going from one trauma to the next. The girl gave a small smile though and shrugged; like it wasn’t a big deal. “What’s your family like?” Kurtz read aloud the next question once they were done writing. Her fingers curled in her hair and she worried her lip, mulling over how to answer in a way that she wasn’t lying. But also, not giving away how messed up everything was. “My m-mom is a f-flight a-attendant, s-so she’s not around o-often. A-and my s-stepdad i-is n-n-n-nice.” Her throat felt like it was closing again. Dawson could be nice, which made everything so much harder and confusing. “H-h-he l-l-loves me a l-lot.” The words held so much meaning, but neither boy seemed to catch onto it.  
Kurtz nodded; “So, you still have two parents who love you?” His tone held a bitter note, one that she knew she would explore more the next day after school. He’d been mostly quiet, but she could see he was tense. Maybe even feeling out of place as he sat with her and the Serpent. Everything about the boy screamed loner and teen angst. Mary supposed she would be learning more about why he was this way. She felt her eyebrow twitch; “Y-you could say that I guess.” A part of her believed that she might have had it easier than most. A roof over her head; food on the table; and her own bedroom even. Between enduring her father and Dawson, the girl sometimes felt ungrateful. ‘It could be worse.’ She would think. ‘I could be dead.’   
“Do you have any talents or skills?” Fangs began on the third question. Luckily, they were already halfway through with the paper. Shrugging, “I-I’m not h-h-horrible at drawing.” Mary said with a small smile. Drawing had been a huge thing for her growing up. It was expressive without using words.  
As someone who had a lot to say, yet can barely stumble through a sentence, Mary found comfort in the things she could do with paper and pencils. Baring her soul without admitting aloud how messed up her mind was. Her journal was for when she couldn’t express herself right. When her words formed what a picture could not. “I-I journal t-too, but it’s k-kind of lame.” The girl confessed with an embarrassed frown. Fangs bumped his shoulder into hers, “I bet you do poems too?” His smile wasn’t teasing, but she blushed none the less with a nod. Kurtz scoffed, “Stereotype.” He muttered. Rolling her eyes, she passed the bump over to him, “Rude.” Her retort brought a small grin to each of them. The Ghoulie leaned back in his chair and read over the fourth question; “List three pet peeves. This ought to be good.” He smirked and looked over at the girl to watch her think. It was a tough one for Mary because she tolerated so much. “I-I don’t like l-lying.” She’d been lied to a lot in her life. Especially by those who were supposed to love her. “I-I h-hate changes.” Which was all that was happening to her lately. “A-and sock with f-flip-flops make me c-cringe.” The last one earned a loud laughing fit from Fangs and a chuckle from Kurtz. As they wrote down her answer, she refrained from repeating the question to them. Knowing that even though it was simple, they weren’t at that comfort level yet. Serpents and Ghoulies had a long and bad history that carried over to the newer generations. Fangs snapped her out of her thoughts; “What’s your biggest fear?” She paused. It wasn’t hard to think of a reply but, like most questions so far, it was painfully personal. As if sensing the change in her for once, both boys straightened up and watched her. Her brow creased, “S-small and d-dark p-p-places.” Even with her father and Dawson haunting her mind; nothing was scarier than the times she had been trapped in a closet or deep freezer. It was the idea punishment that her parents would use on her. They didn’t question it, seeing her pale complexion and how her fingers seemed to have frozen from the insistent tugging on her brown locks.  
Kurtz cleared his throat when they finished writing, “What do you want to do with your life?” The last question didn’t seem to hold as much of a punch as the rest, but they were all horribly good questions. Mr. Phillips seemed to know what he was trying to achieve. “I want to b-be a veterinarian. S-somewhere far from civilization.” It was wishful thinking on her part, but the dream was always in the back of her mind. Being far away from her family or anyone who knew her, the girl would find solace in animals because they can’t hurt her the way people do. The way people have. Looking at the boys as they wrote, she wondered how long it would take before they hurt her as well. No doubt that it would happen sooner or later. As they finished their work, they conversed on lighter subjects. Mainly other classes and Fangs small obsession with wanting to read one of her poems. “Fangs, they’re n-not really s-something I-I share.” She tried to wane him off the subject, packing her things for when the bell rang. “I bet they’re girly and shallow.” Kurtz mocked with a grin, trying to push her buttons. She realized that was a habit of his; irritating people to get a reaction. Now it was her turn to scowl; “N-no. They’re j-just personal.” She defended just as the bell rang. As everyone moved for the door quickly, Mary could hear Kurtz mumbling a ‘Whatever’ before they parted ways. Rolling her eyes and pushing the other boy, “Y-you started this.” He just laughed some more as they made their way to Chemistry. Mary felt like she was getting into the swing of school. The second day wasn’t so hard, and she felt like the Serpent and the Ghoulie might end up as decent school companions. Maybe even friends. The thought was odd. Fangs was obviously ‘friend’ material. He made her comfortable with his own friends and kept a light vibe. The boy was funny and nice to her. Kurtz was the complete opposite though. He was reserved. Mary wondered if that would change when she did his interview. The point of the project was to get to know them and vice versa. She pondered if they could be friends too.  
There was something familiar about the way the boys acted though. Like something she’d seen before. They were obvious rivals but didn’t go out of their way to make life miserable for one another. Kurtz didn’t draw attention as most Ghoulies did and Fangs didn’t instigate fights like most Serpents. Smiling as she wrote in her diary that night, Mary dared to believe that high school could be bearable with a pair of decent friends. She wouldn’t feel so lonely.


	3. Chapter 3

Kurtz apartment was on a crappy side of the already crappy town and Mary wondered if she should have told Dawson where she would be. In case she went missing. With the way a group of men leered at them as they walked by, the girl shuffled closer to the boy. The apartment was no better as trash and bottles covered the small space. There was a sleeping body on the couch, a naked man with a pillow over his face. Mary made sure to avert her eyes, “Y-your d-d-dad?” She questioned as he led them over a pile of blankets on the floor. The boy glanced at the couch and frowned, “Yeah.” He said, nonchalant with a shrug. The pair made their way to his room and she noticed it was much cleaner. The bed was tucked into the corner, made with mix and match blankets and pillows, and a dresser lined the wall with a desk beside it. He dropped his bag on the bed and sat, motioning for her to take a seat at the desk. Pulling out her assignment and notebook; she began, “H-how long have y-you lived in Riverdale?” The girl asked, folding her hands in her lap. The tape recorder was in her jacket pocket, already on and recording. There was some guilt that she was recording their conversation without his knowledge, but this was the only way she could think to get his uncensored answers. “We’ve been here my whole life. Never even left for a vacation.” His tone suggested he was bored as he shuffled through his bag. Mary nodded, writing down his reply. As he pulled out his notebook, she leaned forward to see what he was doing. “I-is that a form for t-tutoring?” She asked with a small smile like she discovered something new.  
Kurtz glanced up at her and gave a hesitant nod; “I’m… not the worst at math and science. AP courses already.” His pale cheeks taking a hint of a blush at her widening smile. She moved to sit next to him; “That’s amazing. Y-you must be a genius.” Her compliment made his face even redder as the boy tried to shrug it off and collect himself. “A-actually, I need t-to talk to m-my teacher about getting a t-tutor for Algebra. I-I’m terrible at math.” Mary rubbed the back of her neck with a pitiful smile. Kurtz tapped his pencil on his notebook; “I can help. Just request me through the teacher so I can get the extra credits.” His smile was genuine, and Mary returned it with a nod. “T-thanks.”  
As they returned their attention to the session; Mary thought she might have figured the boy out a little more. He was smart, scary so, and he didn’t have a lot in life. School was his escape from everything, much like herself. His father was an absent drunk and his mother died in childbirth. Math and science were his specialties and he loved to study but tried to act like academics weren’t a big deal. Modesty or embarrassment; Mary figured he didn’t want to be labeled as a nerd. The pet peeves were something she thought were amusing. He, obviously, hated the Serpents; he couldn’t stand frozen yogurt, and the taste of alcohol made him cringe. Mary couldn’t suppress her grin, “What’s so w-wrong with frozen y-yogurt?” Her question raised his eyebrows in disbelief, “Aside from the fact that it’s extremely high in sugar; I’m also lactose intolerant.” She rolled her eyes with a giggle, “How badass.” The girl playfully mocked. Kurtz scoffed and nudged her with his shoulder, “At least I don’t write poems about unicorns and rainbows.” He teased back. “I told you, I-I don’t write about that s-stuff.” The girl exclaimed with exasperation as she fell back onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling, counting the old glow in the dark stars; things quieted down. “Biggest fear?” Her voice was like a whisper as all hints of liveliness calmed down.   
He thought for a moment, longer than any other question. She could hear him swallowing, “I guess I’m afraid that I’ll never get out of this town. That I’ll be… Stuck. A loser with no purpose.” His voice was equally quiet and full of emotion. So different from his usual self. Mary wondered if he was warming up to her to be so vulnerable. Even if it was just for a moment; Kurtz let his guard down. It could have been because it was just the two of them and he hadn’t known he was being recorded. “Kurtz; I think you’ll g-go places with your smarts. Don’t l-l-let Riverdale or Ghoulies hold you b-b-back.” She encouraged, sitting up and turning to the boy. Her smile had faded, and blue eyes watched him; “What do y-you want to do when you get out of s-school?” Even though it was the last question, she asked it in a way that seemed honest. Like she was continuing their conversation instead of switching the topic. He smiled, “Maybe I’ll be an accountant? Go off to a faraway college on a scholarship and settle into a normal life.” Wistful, almost longing. Craving normalcy in a life of violence and gangs. Mary knew the feeling.   
The pair sat in silence for a moment before she checked her phone, “Crap, m-my dad’s g-going to kill m-me.” Her words stuttered once more, and Kurtz frowned at her. “I-I have to be home b-before dark.” She explained; rushing to pack her things as it was already five in the evening. The sun would set around six, so she had an hour to get back home. Kurtz stood with her, “I’ll walk you.” He offered as she headed for the door. With a grateful nod, the pair made their way out of the complex and down the streets. As the sun began descending; Mary hurried, “I-I-I can’t b-be l-l-late.” Her worried mutters filled the silence as she worried her bottom lip. Kurtz grabbed her arm to slow her, “Calm down, I’m sure your dad won’t mind if it’s for school.” He rolled his eyes, “I’m sure the princess won’t get in trouble if she’s a little late.” Even though he was joking, the girl pursed her lips and held her satchel tighter. With a breath in her nose and out of her mouth to calm her heart, she looked around.  
Her house wasn’t that far, and she could make it if she ran, “H-head back home, I-I can make it from h-here since it’s c-close.” She stated, turning to face the boy completely. He shook his head, “I can’t let you go home alone and in the dark. It’s not safe.” His voice was almost concerned and any other time, Mary probably would have smiled at the boy while teasing him. “I-I-I can’t show up late w-with a b-boy, Kurtz. T-trust me; h-h-he wouldn’t like it.” He frowned at her reply, but gave a defeated sigh, “Fine, but message me to let me know you got home safe.” The compromise was agreed to quickly as she waved before taking off. Running down the street and turning the corner; Mary opened her door just as the streetlights came on outside. With a relieved sigh, she made her way to her room and set down her bag on the bed. Just as she was gathering clothes for a shower; Dawson stood in her doorway. His arms crossed, but a smile on his face, “So, tell me about your day, Margret.” The girl paused. With shaking hands, she sat in her desk chair and shrugged; “I’m h-halfway through w-w-with my p-project.” Her eyes glued to her clothes, hair falling to cover her face. She could hear the man making his way to her, see him kneeling in her line of vision, “Are you making friends? Did you find a tutor?” His smile and soothing voice were that of a man talking to his daughter and while most families were like this, Mary knew better. Her stomach turned at how nice he was being, how confused it made her. Searching for malice in his hazel eyes and finding nothing of the sort; she relaxed a hair, “I-I might have t-two f-friends. One of t-them said t-they could t-tutor me at s-school.” Her avoidance of pronouns was overseen as the man tucked her hair behind her ear and gave her a smile; “That’s good, sweetheart.” His hand lingered down her shoulder, thumb rubbing near her collarbone. At her hesitant smile, the man tightened his hold. The whimper escaped her as he squeezed her tighter and tighter. Feeling her bone bending under his hold and seeing his frown, “Y-y-you’re hurting m-me, d-d-daddy.”   
Her pleading falling on deaf ear as he pulled her to stand with him, towering over the girl with an intimidating stare, “Do not be late again, Margret.” His words were patronizingly soft yet held a sharp edge. A warning. As a tear made its way down her face, she nodded, “Y-y-yes, da-daddy.” When he released her, she fell into the chair and folded her legs to her chest. His hand landed in her hair and she couldn’t stop the flinch as he pets her head, “Good girl.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter on gym class.

As she dressed the next morning, she could count each finger of the darkening bruise on her shoulder with a grimace. Choosing for a black turtleneck to cover the bit that ran to the front of her collar, Mary pursed her lips. Gym required a change of clothes as part of the points for class and she only had one turtleneck. Deciding to suck it up and endure anyone noticing; the girl packed in sweatpants and a black tee-shirt. If she moved her hair over her chest, no one could see the marks. Thankful for her long and thick brown hair; Mary made her way to school. Kurtz rolled his eyes at her as she sat down in English, “You forgot to text.” He stated, almost pouting. Forcing a grin, the girl pulled out her phone and texted him: Didn’t make it home safe, had to fight off a pack of dogs, and sleep outside. He glanced at his phone and gave a sarcastic laugh, “You’re oh so funny.” The playful banter paused as Fangs made his way to sit on the girl’s other side. “W-when do you w-want to m-meet?” She asked, turning to the bigger boy. He shrugged; “Maybe tomorrow after school? My place, since I have to watch my little brother.” He planned with her. She gave a nod, thinking over how she was going to ask Dawson. He was in a foul mood from her being late once, he’d surely do worse if she was late again. Pulling out her journal, she leaned over it to write as Mr. Phillips began to start a lesson. She didn’t have time to fill out an entry after her shower, choosing to go to sleep before Dawson tried to come around again. The day seemed to be going well until gym class. The locker room was unusually crowded as she stood near the door.  
“Coach is subbing for music, so everyone is trying to hide out in here.” A girl stated at her confused look. She was familiar, “T-Toni, right?” Mary asked with an apologetic smile. At her nod, the pale girl let out a relieved sigh, “I-I don’t know w-where I’m g-going to change at n-now.” She frowned, shuffling to see if there was anywhere else with privacy. Even the shower stalls were filled with giggling girls. Toni raised an eyebrow, “Just strip here, like everyone else.” Looking around at the other half-naked girls, Mary tugged her hair uncomfortably. “Or be late?” The dark-skinned girl shrugged as she stripped off her own shirt. Moving to the corner, trying to go unnoticed, she changed her shirt as fast as she could. Making sure no one had seen anything, she slipped on her pants just as quickly. While the worst bruise was on her shoulder, her pale legs had yellowing marks that had begun fading.   
Making her way from the lockers; Toni walked next to her; “What’s up with you?” She asked directly, making Mary pause in the small hall just before the gym doors. Her heart felt like it was going to break a rib as she tugged her hair over her collar bone, “W-w-what d-do you m-mean?” The girl pulled her farther down the halls, away from the other students trickling from the locker rooms, “I mean, you’re friends with Fangs and Kurtz. How did you manage that?” It’d been a few days since school had started and Mary thought she was invisible to almost everyone. The boys sat with her in almost every class and lunch; Fangs went out of his way on numerous occasions to include her in his circle of friends. Kurtz, in his own quiet way, keeping her company during lunch to let the rest of the Ghoulies know that she was off-limits. Mary thought it wasn’t a big deal. She thought that they just liked her because she was nice and funny. “I-I j-just like them. They’re g-g-good people.” She stuttered out with a smile at the idea that people thought they were friends. Toni watched her, looking for something before giving a nod and her own little grin; “Just be careful. Ghoulies and Serpents don’t mix.”  
Class had begun with five laps after a series of stretches, something that was almost therapeutic for Mary. Loosening her muscles and burning her lungs just a little bit. Fangs jogged in place next to her as she bent over to catch her breath with Kurtz, “Come on, guys; it’s not that bad.” He laughed at them, receiving a pair of similar glares and middle fingers. As the pair stood, she groaned, “How do y-you have so much energy?” While the exercise felt good, it tired her down quickly. Kurtz scoffed, “He’s like a dog, Mary. Dumb and fast.” The grin seemed contagious as she bit her lip to hold it in. As Fangs gave a small glare, she couldn’t stop the giggle; “If he w-was a dog, I think he’d b-be a Doberman.” This time, the smaller boy let out a laugh and nodded his head, “I could totally see that.” Fangs crossed his arms and huffed; “At least I’m not a shit-zu.” He directed to Kurtz with a sarcastic grin. Before the two could get into an argument, Mary spoke, “W-what kind am I?” The boys looked at her and thought for a moment. Making eye contact over her head, Kurtz decided, “Pomeranian.” The taller boy nodded, “Definitely.” Her jaw dropped; “Excuse m-me? I am not-” But Kurtz cut her off, “Really yappy.” His eyes squinted in consideration. Fangs nodded in agreement again; “Super small too.” Baffled; the girl glared at the two of them, “You’re m-mean when you team up.” Her pout was answered with their mutual laughter. Even though they were making fun of her, Mary couldn’t stop the smile as they began to casually talk together. ‘Serpents and Ghoulies be damned; we can be friends.’


	5. Chapter 5

It was like a veil was lifted with the three of them that day. Something as simple as joking around in gym class opened the gateway into a friendship between the boys. Not something that was tolerated because of Mary, but she thought it might have been the forming of the real thing. Going home that day, she worried her lip once more at a new problem. Talking to Dawson about going to Fangs and finishing the project. He’d sat in his recliner when she got home, her mother no doubt on a plane somewhere.  
It was the life her mother always wanted. To travel and make money, while also having Dawson to fall back on to take care of her. Mary was just a girl living in her house, keeping the bed warm for her. Whether she wanted to or not.  
Mary sat on the couch and looked to the man with pursed lips, “D-daddy, I got a t-tutor.” She began, drawing his attention from the tv. He smiled at her, sitting up, “That’s good. They can come over twice a week, while I’m home.” He stated the plan, watching her bit her bottom lip in worry. Usually, Dawson didn’t mind where she went or with whom. But there were times when he wanted more control over a situation. Like her education. “And I’d like to meet your friends soon. Maybe a study group this weekend?” Her friends. She shifted, unsure how he would feel about her only friends being male. With a nod, the girl asked, “I actually w-wanted to ask if I c-c-could meet with my other English p-p-partner tomorrow? I-I-I’ll be home o-o-on time; I-I-I p-promise.” The last part was rushed as she gave him an almost pleading look. If he wanted to meet her friends, she had to discuss a plan with the boys. To caution them without hinting that anything was wrong. Maybe even invite another girl to keep things even. Dawson frowned a bit, running his hand through his hair; “Maybe we can work something out?”   
Disgust pooled in her stomach the next morning as she showered. Her mind buzzing with questions and teeth gritted as she scrubbed her body down. There really was no option, despite the question he asked. Dawson would take what he wanted, with or without her consent. He would phrase it in a question, let her make the choice on how it happened, but it would still happen. And she was left feeling empty and small. She looked in the steamed mirror, blue eyes hazed over as they counted the small marks on her neck. Hickeys lined her throat and while Dawson was usually so careful; he’d been different that night. Unshed tears being brushed away, Mary tried not to think about. She tried to pretend they weren’t there as she got into her mother’s make-up in a poor attempt to hide them. Her mouth was dry when she realized it wasn’t even the right tone for her skin complexion.  
Her mother was darker than her and the foundation looked all wrong. Everything was wrong. A tear slipped free as she wiped her neck, feeling ridiculous. More followed as she scrubbed her neck red. Her nails scratching the marks as a sob tore through her. Sinking to the tiled floor and pulling her knees to her chest, she cried. The girl sat in the nude; wishing she could stop everything. That she could calm down and go on pretending. Lying to herself that everything was alright. “Margret, stop.” His voice was pleading as his hands grabbed her wrists. Even though his touch was gentle, all she could remember was the bruising grip they had on her at night and she flinched away; “D-d-don’t…” Pitiful cries wracked her body and she hated herself for it. For being weak. Shame and disgust made her stomach roll once more as she pulled herself to the toilet to vomit. Dawson shuffled behind her, holding her hair. Even though she wanted to scream at him to just leave her alone, to keep his hands to himself for once, Mary knew better than to lash out at the man. Things hadn’t gone well the last time she yelled at him.   
He wrapped a towel around her and helped her to her bedroom, sitting her down and moving around the room. The fact that he knew where everything was made her squeeze her eyes shut, trying to hold herself together once more. Taking the clothes offered she dressed in silence while he left her alone. When he came back with gauze and ointment, there were no words as he bandaged her neck. No apology or promise to leave her alone. Just a catatonic silence. When she left for school, she felt drained. Emotionally and physically. She’d been given a note from Dawson, making up a lie for her tardiness and injury. She didn’t even read it as she handed it to the teachers, sitting away from the boys. Everything felt too raw to try to deal with them, no doubt they would question her bandages. The dark circles under her eyes. Her unbrushed hair. Mary made it all the way to the end of the day, avoiding the boys and their questions. But, they trapped her between them at their usual table.  
Fangs moved her hair from her face, and it took all of her self-control to hold still, “What happened, Mary?” His brows were furrowed, but she forced a smile. “Can we just n-n-not talk about it, g-guys?” Her voice cracked, pleading for them to not start in on her. Kurtz frowned and thumbed her collar bone; “We just want to know that you’re okay.” The bruise peeking from under her shirt made her grimace. Unable to even hold a fake smile; she moved away from them. They were suffocating her; “I’m f-f-fine. Just s-s-stop.” Rubbing between her eyes to stave off a forming headache, both of the boys conceded and backed off. With a few deep breaths, she turned to Fangs, “I can c-come over after s-s-school, but I can’t be l-l-late going h-home.” At his nod, she turned to Kurtz, “My d-d-dad said that tutoring h-has to be at our h-house, twice a w-w-week.” He nodded as well and she leaned back in her chair, trying to relax a bit and forget the way the gauze itched and her scratched burned. “By t-the way; he w-wants to meet y-y-you guys this w-weekend. A study g-group kind of thing.” Both boys looked at her in disbelief. After thinking for a moment, she turned to Fangs once more, “And b-bring Toni. He’d like it b-better if I h-had a f-female friend.” The last she had mumbled to herself before focusing back on her artwork. They were working with simple still life and shades, starting out small as the teacher explained. Kurtz leaned forward with a scowl, “So, you want me in the same room, on a study date, with you and two Serpents?” He said slowly with a hint of mockery. Her lips pursed once more, figuring it was best if they both learned something important from her rather than someone else; “Actually, m-my dad’s a G-ghoulie. So, c-can we j-just do this one t-thing pretending t-that no one is in a g-gang? Go incognito as n-normal high school kids for, t-two hours at least?” She pleaded; fingers laced together. Fangs looked as if he swallowed dirt but nodded along with the other boy. Relieved, Mary sighed, “It’ll j-just be this once and he’ll g-get off my back once he m-meets you guys. We’ll even o-order pizza.” Which was something she hoped she could convince Dawson to do, as he had strict control over their diet. Oddly enough, the man was a bit of a health nut.  
Or, it was just his way of having more control. Either way; Mary thought he would be more… lenient with her friends coming over. After school, she followed Fangs to a car surrounded by some of his Serpent friends. Toni smiled at her, “Look who’s joining the party.” Her arm swung over her shoulder, Mary gave an uneasy smile in return while being tucked close to the slightly taller girl, “I-I didn’t get the memo that w-we’d be joy riding, seeing as none of y-you three have a license.” With a laugh, Toni pulled her into the backseat as the two boys sat up front. Fangs looked back at her with a grin, “I won’t tell if you don’t?” His eyes flickered to her neck and she shifted, understanding what he was insinuating. Shrugging, “Yolo, right?” And the car sped out of the school parking lot. Fangs and the even taller boy, if that was even possible, began to talk. She couldn’t hear them very well over the music blaring from the front though. Fingers touching her bandages made her jump, Toni giving her a curious look, “Everything okay with you, Mary?” Her question threw the girl off guard, but she smiled, “C-c-could be b-better, but I’m f-f-fine.” The two begin a light conversation to fill the backseat silence. Once Toni agreed to come over for a study group, they pulled up to a trailer. Sweet Pea, the vigilant driver who only swerved twice, got out and stretched with Fangs. The two roughhoused a bit before Toni separated them with a laugh. Her project partner motioned for Mary to follow him as she said goodbye. They made their way to a single-wide trailer. “Ma, I’m home with my friend. Do we have any snacks?” The boy called out as he opened the door. Mary thought it was just like him to think about food when he got home, smiling. A woman walked out of the hallway, putting in large hoop earrings and chewing gum. Her hair was thick with dark curls, her shirt a hint too tight in the bust area, “In the fridge, Fangy.” She looked over the girl and gave a sweet smile, “You must be Mary, it’s nice to meet you honey.” Instead of a handshake or normal greeting, her manicured hand rubbed her forearm affectionately. Her brown eyes were warm as she looked at Mary.  
The girl almost felt like crying for some reason though. Ms. Fogarty looked a lot like her mother. Only, she was happy. And loved her children, as made apparent when Fangs gave her a hug and kiss on her cheek. “Now, I gotta go, but I trust you two can do your little project and watch Chomper?” As if summoned from his name alone, a young boy ran down the halls and barreled into Fangs. He had a mop of wild dark curls and a dimpled grin, “Fangs, I just did a backflip off of the bed!” Blinking, the girl waited to see their reactions before giving her own. Ms. Fogarty scowled, “No more backflips, Chomps, you’ll break your damn neck.” Her lecture seemed to fall on deaf ears as the taller boy laughed and praised his little brother.   
As their mother left, Mary watched them give her a kiss and a hug each. Something she hadn’t done with her own mother in years. If ever. The pair settled on the couch in the living room, the younger boy sitting in the recliner and turning on cartoons. She caught fangs rolling his eyes as they pulled out their notebooks and project sheets, “Kids.” He mumbled to her jokingly. A flash of her own sibling came to mind. His similarly dark hair and brown eyes, but she blinked, and it was gone. With a smile, she began her first question while turning on the tape recorder in her pocket, “How l-long have you lived in Riverdale?” He replied instantly, “All my life. Never left.” He grinned, twirling his pencil. “And to answer the next question; mom’s a waitress and dad’s been gone for a while. Chomper over there’s only nine and kind of boring.” Said boy threw an empty juice carton at his older brother, who laughed, “Anyways, it’s just been us for a few years.” He frowned, noticing she was just watching him, “Don’t you have to write this down?” She blushed and nodded, pulling her notebook to her lap and writing down his replies. They continued on quietly, as to not draw Chomper’s attention. He went on to mention that he was a decent chief and that he was in his element in a kitchen. She found it amusing that he put eggs in ramen noodles too. Even more so that his biggest pet peeve was overcooked noodles.  
“They’re just so soggy.” He voiced his disgust, even giving a shudder as Mary giggled “And Fro-Yo. Who looked at a perfectly good yogurt and thought, ‘Maybe I should freeze this?’ Or was that as much of an accident as Mylie Cyrus?” Giggles turned into full-on laughter as she realized that the boys were a bit more alike than they knew. They joked around a bit more on his third pet peeve, his brother invading his privacy. The pair moved to the kitchen for a snack, Fangs cutting an apple for his little brother as Mary bit into one, “Biggest fear?” She asked as she swallowed. The girl was seated on the table, kicking her legs a bit and waiting for his answer. He paused his cutting and looked at Chomper, who was glued to some cartoon; “I guess it would be that I can’t protect my family. Serpents included.” For a moment, he looked sincere. His face as soft and loving as his mother’s. Biting her cheek and writing down his answer, she felt a pang of guilt. Once more, a little boy crossed her mind. Instead of lively brown eyes, she could see them cold and faded. Empty. And it sent a chill down her spine as she tried to dispel the image. “What do y-you want to do o-once y-you’re graduated?” She asked, nearly a whisper after the teen returned from the living room. He leaned against the table next to her legs, hand running over his chin in concentration, “My dream is to cook on Master Chief or just work in a little bistro; go big or go home. You know?” He smiled, watching her write. “Realistically; I might go Army or Navy. Gain some experience and come back better for the gang.” Mary left out the last three words. While it was known with the school that he was a Serpent; it might have been better if it wasn’t written anywhere important. Checking her watch, she noticed it was almost time for her to start walking home. This time, she carefully planned it so that she would be there just as the sun started to set. Earlier than the streetlights coming on. Packing her things up, she took a tape from her bag, “This is Kurtz interview. D-don’t tell him I r-recorded it though; it’s solely for this p-project.” The girl said sternly as she handed it to the boy. It was hesitant because she knew they didn’t like one another.  
Mary had checked it over and made sure it covered the important things. Fangs frowned, “Did you record me too, for him to listen to?” He sounded hurt and the girl furrowed her brow, “I’m s-s-sorry, Fangs, but it’s j-just for the p-project. I’ll erase the t-tapes afterward, but I think you’ll be s-surprised at h-how much you t-two are alike.” With both of them frowning, Fangs was the first to give in with a sigh and nod. “Good. I’ll s-see you Sunday for the s-study group.” She headed home, arriving before the streetlights came on. Dawson gave her a smile, kissing the top of her head affectionately. Aside from that, the man left her alone. With it being Friday, Mary decided to spend the night finishing up homework and going over Fangs tape.


	6. Chapter 6

As Saturday rolled around, she began to set up for the study group to come by. Dawson had agreed on pizza, but it had to be homemade. As she added cheese, the girl watches him humming and moving around the kitchen. At first glance, it reminded her of when they first met. He’d been so kind and… fatherly. They used to cook together all of the time. He’d show her how to properly season chili by taste and got her a funny apron. One that she now wore again, covered in flower and homemade pizza sauce. It was almost as if he was the same man as before she moved in with them. With her parents being divorced since she was ten; her father had sole custody and her mother had visitations. Dawson had been the one to watch her on their weekends because her mother worked. She used to prefer it that way, as the man doted on her. With her father winding up in prison and moving to Riverdale with her stepfather and mother, things had changed. For the worse, as they often did in her life. Dawson was once the happiest thing that ever happened to her. Now, Mary cringed from his affections. Confused and scared and angry; her diary endured every emotion and her pillows took every tear and quieted sob. “Margret, they’re here.” His voice was cheerful as he leads in a small group of kids. Toni had worn a sweater and jeans with her hair tied up and glasses, completely different than when she was in school.  
Almost nerdy, which made Mary stifle a laugh. Fangs decided on a denim jacket with a collard pink shirt and khakis. At this point, she thought that the Serpents were just playing dress-up to impress her stepdad or throw him off. Kurtz, thankfully, wore his normal black shirt and ripped jeans. The only difference was his hair being brushed back neatly. The girl brought them to the kitchen table in the corner and everyone set down their bags, getting out what was needed as Dawson finished the pizza in the kitchen, “He does not look like a Ghoulie.” Fangs commented quietly from next to her with a raised eyebrow. Looking at the man with a striped apron and humming, she supposed it was true. He wore a polo shirt and khaki shorts; his blond hair was tied back. The man was muscular, but there were no tattoos or scars. He looked like an average dad.   
With an uncomfortable smile, she leaned in close to Fangs, “T-trust me. Dawson is a-an important m-m-member of the g-g-gang.” She didn’t want to give away too much because she hadn’t known a lot herself. It was something he strictly kept away from the girl. And she never wanted to know more than what she did. They set up to start on her and Fangs worst subject, Algebra. As they settled down, Mary received a look from Kurtz. “What?” She asked, looking over as Toni giggled. “Not only are you bad at math, but you’re a messy cook.” The smaller boy motioned to her cheek. Feeling her face, she’d found crusted flour that had somehow gone unnoticed. Rolling her eyes, Mary stood up, “Give me a m-moment.” Making her way to the bathroom, Dawson entered with her and shut the door. “Interesting friends, Margret.” He smiled, leaning against the wall behind her as she cleaned her face in the sink. Nodding, not quite sure what to say, she turned to face him. “That Kurtz kid, I’ve seen him around.” Mary pursed her lips at his words, knowing what he was hinting. He knew Kurtz was a Ghoulie. “D-don’t worry, d-d-daddy. I-I’ll be c-c-careful.” He nodded at her words, brushing her hair behind her ear, and running his thumb over her cleaned cheek.  
His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes and she wondered if he didn’t really care to meet her friends. If it was as much of a strain for him as it was for her because the man was a private person. Swallowing, she left the bathroom and made her way back to the kitchen. If anyone noticed that the man followed her to and from the hallway, no one said anything. He sat in the living room, turning the tv on and reclining in his chair. Mary felt relieved that he didn’t seem to be paying attention to them as they worked. The only time he made his way near them was when the pizza was done. They took a break to eat, putting away everything so it wouldn’t get messy, “This pizza is amazing!” Fangs complimented to Dawson with a large grin and his mouth full. The older man smiled, “Well, Margret and I have always been a good combo in the kitchen. She’s been a good student since she was about twelve.” He delved into a bit of history. As if it was his intention; the group looked interested. At their looks, Dawson began to tell them old stories from when she had been younger. The time she pretended to cut her finger while slicing beets, freaking her mother out. How she used to fit under the cabinets and, once more, freak her mother out when she couldn’t be found. “And you guys should have seen Mani’s face. He had nightmares for weeks.” The man said with a grin in amusement. Until he realized what he said. And Mary swallowed hard, blinking fast as the image came to mind of empty brown eyes. “W-we s-should g-g-get back to s-studying.” The girl said, shifting away from the man and her group of friends. Clearing his throat, she could hear Dawson shuffle out of the room after stating that he had to go to his office to work. Kurtz shot her a confused look, “Who’s Mani?” He asked and she looked up to find all eyes on her. Once more, she was caught in a difficult position. She didn’t want to lie to them, but she didn’t want to talk about the truth. “H-he was m-my little b-b-brother.” The past tense must have been noticed because everything felt sober after that. No one asked any more questions as they studied. Sending the group off around five, Mary began to clean up the mess in the kitchen and dining room. “I’m sorry, Margret. It just slipped out.” Dawson could be heard from behind her and, for once, she didn’t care that he apologized. The girl didn’t analyze it. Didn’t try to think about it. She just wanted to block it all out.   
As Sunday came around, Mary laid in bed for most of the morning. Staring at the framed picture at her desk, one that had been laid flat for months. A picture of the little boy and herself. Young and smiling and happy together. The way it should have been for their whole life. If there was any unjust in the world, it was that Mani had died instead of her. Glancing at her vibrating phone, she saw that Kurtz messaged her. It slipped her mind to give him the tape from Fangs interview. With a sigh, she moved out of bed. Seeing Dawson on his laptop on the couch, Mary worried her lip, “D-daddy, c-can I g-go f-finish the p-project with m-m-my partners t-today?” She asked him. His attention didn’t waver for more than a moment, not even looking her way, “Sure thing, Margret.” The dismissal and approval were all she needed as she got her things to leave. Her spare tape recorder and jacket were in hand as she left. The walk was brisk as she messaged Kurtz that she was going to go over and see him. Without a reply back, she assumed it was okay. Standing outside of his apartment door and hearing the yelling, Mary thought that she should have waited to make sure it was okay with him. That he wasn’t in the middle of what sounded to be like a fight with his dad. As she leaned back and worried her lip more, the sound of breaking glass made her jump. Arms tightened around herself as she thought about what to do. How to help him. A neighbor poked her head out and sighed, “At it again?”  
She looked to the woman, catching her eyes, “You might want to get out of here, sweety. Police will be on their way; again.” The woman commented before moving back into her apartment. The idea that Kurtz might go to jail or end up in the system sent a chill down her spine. He might get taken away if his dad goes to jail. Making sure her recorder and jacket were secure, she took a deep breath and moved for the door. Swinging it open, the girl didn’t bother looking at the mess. All she could focus on was the bleeding lip and bruised cheek that Kurtz was sporting with a scowl. The man from before was standing in his boxers, swaying slightly and looking at her in surprise. Taking the stunned moment to her advantage, she moved to grab her friend. His wrist in her hand was shaking and he stumbled, but she pulled him to the door. “I don’ know who the hell you think you are-” The man startled, hand wrapping around her bicep. A sick feeling inside of her threatened to break. Something boiled. Hot and angry. Turning sharply and yanking free, her glare halted the bigger man, “All you need to know is that Sonny Blake ain’t gonna be happy when he hears you laid hands on me.” Her voice lower than before, hard enough to make the man flinch at the tone and the mention of her stepfather. It was only a hunch about Kurtz’s father being a Ghoulie, to know Dawson. To know his temper. As he stepped back, she didn’t pay him another glance while pulling Kurtz to follow her. Her hands shook, but she held onto him tightly. In his shocked stupor, he allowed himself to be dragged through the building and streets. Until the girl paused at the corner of a park. Her chest was heaving, blood pumping in her ears. It didn’t last long before she turned to her friend. Checking the boy over with concern and a worried lip between her teeth. Catching his blue eyes with her own, “Are y-you okay?” As if the threatening tone and hollow voice from moments before came from someone else, Mary’s words were a soft whisper. Watching his head bob, “Why did you do that, Mary? Why did you… help me?” His own voice betraying a confused vulnerability. Surprise filtered over her face as she glanced to his busted lip and bruised cheek before finding her eyes back on his, “Because we’re friends, Kurtz.” Her smile weak, but there. Honest and wary, the boy analyzed her. His hand raised to land on her head, eyes downcast, “Thanks.”  
As the two teens made their way to a run-down café Mary stayed close to his side. Making sure to order a glass of ice and gathering paper towels from the bathroom, she watched him press it to his cheek and lip. Pursing her lips and touching the tape recorder in her pocket, the girl didn’t pull it out. She didn’t give it to him because he might get upset, but more than that; the project would be over. They would have no reason to hang out anymore. With Fangs and her side of the project already done, Kurtz just needed Fangs answers to complete his. So, Mary figured it wouldn’t hurt to hold off for a bit longer. There’s no harm in keeping the project alive so that they could hang out more. In the little café, she paid for Kurtz to eat. Watched him and listened as he opened up a little more. With pursed lips, he explained more about his father being an abusive drunk and a Ghoulie. “What I don’t understand is your stepdad fitting in.” He stated, dipping his fries and watching the girl. She shrugged her shoulders, “Dad l-likes to k-keep his work separate from h-home. I don’t know t-t-too much about w-what he does for the g-gang.” The girl delved a little. It was mostly true. Dawson only brought work home on his computer. Aside from being a Ghoulie, the man’s a realtor. He inspects, buys, and sells land and factories. Mostly in business with the Blossom family. “H-he’s a private realtor. Nothing d-dangerous about t-that.” Her words drew up his eyebrows a hint. Like he knew that it was important. Instead of asking, Mary waved her hand in dismissal, “Not that I w-want to know anything though. G-gangs aren’t r-r-really my thing.” She changed the topic, moving onto if he was going to finish his fries while stealing some. He gave her a small grin, “Rude.”


	7. Chapter 7

Arriving home, Mary made her way to the kitchen for an early dinner. Pulling out the ingredients for Chicken Alfredo; the girl got to work on boiling water and prepping the chicken. “It’s been a while since you’ve made a meal, Margret.” Dawson commented with a smile as he moved into the kitchen. Leaning across from the island counter and watching the girl, she noted how he smiled. Honey brown eyes were lighter. He seemed happy. Not the fake ‘lull you into a sense of security and then crush you’ happy either. “I-I’m in a g-g-good mood.” She shrugged, trying not to pay any attention to him and focus on the food. Which was hard to do as he moved near her, “Guess it’s just going around. You won’t believe who just called me to tell me their flight was delayed.” He teased, fingers moving to trace the edge of the bandage around her next. Tense, Mary paused on cutting the chicken. A part of her mind wanted to ignore him. Pretend this was fine and cook dinner. Act like she was okay. The other part of her wanted to shove that knife through his eyes. Carve them from his face and leave him bleeding on the kitchen floor. Mary could almost see the blood dripping from the blade. His large hand moved to her waist, “I’ll shred the cheese and get things measured.” His lips pecked her cheek and he moved away. Humming. Unaware of the thoughts going through her mind. A piece of her felt cracked at the affection. The man bumped into her playfully, smiling and humming like Mr. Roger. Lighthearted and relaxed, Dawson treated her like she was a kid again. Even going so far as to make her smile when they threw noodles at the wall. Like the night was just a ‘daddy-daughter’ playdate. And it surprised her more when he let her stay up and talked her into playing cards while listening to music. Even though she had school the next day, she didn’t go to bed until midnight. Mary messaged Kurtz before falling asleep, making sure he was okay at his apartment with his dad. The man had passed out drunk, so Kurtz let her know that things were fine for the night. She never felt so conflicted before as she went to bed in her own room.   
Dawson didn’t ask or demand or take anything from her. Whatever really put him in a good mood lasted all night and morning. Mary woke up to banana pancakes in bed, “W-what about s-school?” She asked, noting that it was passed eight as she ate her breakfast. Dawson sat at the bottom of her bed and watched her, shrugging, “You can be late or stay home, it’s up to you, sweetheart.” At this, she became suspicious. No way her mother being delayed made him this happy. The woman was delayed a lot and Dawson usually brushed it off. Setting down her fork and folding up her knees, she pursed her lips, “W-what’s really g-g-going on, d-d-daddy?” She questioned. Normally, she didn’t want to get involved. Especially if it had to do with the Ghoulies. More and more, this was starting to look like something that might affect her though. She felt like she was putting together a puzzle and Dawson had an important piece. “Work finally paid off. I got a bonus and some vacation days, but I’m not sure what to do with them.” He laid back, staring up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh. If it was work-related, that was definitely gang-related. And Mary didn’t want to be involved or know too much. So, she smiled and stood up, “I-I think I’ll head t-to school today. I don’t w-want to miss t-turning in h-homework for math.” The man nodded, ruffling her hair on the way out of her room. Swatting his hand with a giggle, the girl felt an odd weight inside of her when he left. A sense of self-loathing that she pushed down in favor of enjoying the positive attention. Her smile felt heavy and empty as she arrived at school late, but she tried to make it real. She tried to push out as much happiness as she could at the fact that Kurtz and Fangs were getting along and joking. That they were all friends. But her chest felt hollow. Her mind would space out. All in all, school had ended up being the worst place for her that Monday. Her distractions caused the boys and Toni to worry, but no one asked. What drew her attention was Kurtz walking home with her though. They were halfway to her house when she even realized it.  
“Your dad messaged for me to come by so I can tutor you. Didn’t he tell you?” The boy explained with an impassive shrug, but blue eyes watching her reaction. At the surprise, “H-he m-m-must have f-forgotten to let m-me know.” She answered, trying to brush off the building suspicion and anxiety. His hand grabbed her forearm, stopping them down the street from her house, “What’s up with you today?” It was a loaded question. Mary knew she was acting odd but couldn’t help it. Dawson’s words and behavior had been on her mind all day. Even more so was her own behavior. Her acceptance of his good mood and change in attitude. After everything he’d done, she still offered the man a smile. Still gave him an ounce of trust and a part of her might have felt something more. A need to be loved and accepted by the only other father figure she’s had in her life. And it disturbed her. Made her feel sick.   
“I-I have a l-lot on m-m-my mind, Kurtz.” Her answer deepened a growing frown on the boy’s face, but he let it go. Not pushing it as they continued to walk to her house. Once inside, Dawson smiled at them from the kitchen, “Hey, kids. I made snacks for your session.” He called out. Mary gave him a smile as they moved to the dining table and set down her satchel. Moving to the island counter, “Ooh, fruit cups.” She shot him a grin as she brought both glass jars to the table. Setting one in front of Kurtz and sitting with her own, the girl pulled out her notebook and textbook while figuring out where to start. Dawson cleared his throat behind the pair, and she turned to see his arms crossed, “Manners, Margret.” He reminded her in a displeased tone. Tensing, she gave an apologetic smile, “S-s-sorry. Thank y-y-you for the s-s-snacks, d-daddy.” A cold chill creeping up her spine as he gave her a forced smile in return. Watching him turn to the living room and hearing the tv, the girl turned back towards Kurtz. His blue eyes were on her, analyzing once more.  
Trying to figure something out. With a swallow, she pointed his attention to the work laid out. An hour ticked by slowly, nearly torturous as her focus waned and disdain for the subject became frustratingly obvious. “L-l-let’s just s-stop here.” She sighed out, rubbing her temples and leaning back in her chair. Kurtz mimicked her, “We’ll pick it back up during lunch tomorrow.” His own sigh was a bit more relieved compared to a groan that worked from her as she leaned forward to lay her head on the desk. Peeking up to see his small grin, she gave a light glare, “I-I told you I s-s-suck at math.” The boy chuckled, “Well, now I really believe you. It’s nothing a little help can’t fix though.” His grin morphed into a smile as she sat up and continued packing up the books and notebooks into her satchel. Catching his staring and smile, she coked an eyebrow and paused, “What?” Kurtz shrugged, still holding a smile, “I was just thinking that you might learn better with… positive reinforcement.” The statement made her a little more confused. “L-like how you t-train a dog?” She sounded offended, but the restrained smile was enough for Kurtz to know she wasn’t seriously upset. Straightening his face and rubbing his chin, “Maybe we should try using cookies or gummy snacks.” The pair laughed as she smacked his arm lightly. As they stood, his blue eyes caught hers and he looked perplexed for a moment. Her head tilted, curious and ready to ask what was on his mind when his hand landed on her head. Similar to the other day when he thanked her. Soft and warm. His blue eyes lighter and the small smile taking place, “You did good today, Mary.” The words weren’t even the slightest bit mocking. The girl was in a stupor this time, her face suddenly feeling hot and looking into those blue eyes made her feel like she was on fire. Watching her foot awkwardly scuff the floor and crossing her arms below her chest, “Th-thanks, Kurtz.” Her smile feeling shaky because her mind felt like it was on overdrive as he moved his hand away. When he left, she went to her room. Tempted to jump on the bed like a child at the sudden rush of giddiness.  
Mary couldn’t figure it out, but she felt happy. Something the boy said or did would replay in her mind and leave her smiling in a daze for the rest of the night. Even Dawson was put on the back burner as she thought about the boy. “Looks like someone has a crush.” Until the man stated that at her door. Mary looked over at him, seeing his crossed arms and cross expression. Like she had done something bad. Sitting up and feeling a cold creep up from her hands and spine, she frowned, “N-n-no, d-daddy. He’s j-just a r-really n-n-nice friend. They a-all are.” Her heartfelt like it was slowing and speeding up at the same time as the man stepped into her room. Invaded her space and shutting the door behind him. Locking it. “I know what I saw, Margret, and you know how I feel about liars.” His russet eyes heavy on her as she moved farther back on her bed. Until her back pressed into the cold wall, “I-I’m n-not l-l-lying.” Her throat was like sandpaper as he moved closer to her. Sitting on the edge of her bed and sighing deeply, he looked at her. Watched her. He latched onto the ankle closest to him and pulled her close as she let out a panicked scream. One that was quickly silenced with his hand over her mouth and fingers pressing into her cheeks painfully. “Margret, I’m going to make this clear for you.” His words grating out as her hand grabbed his offending wrists, “No boyfriends.”


	8. Chapter 8

Such a simple rule was in almost every household that had kids and teens. Unlike every household, it wasn’t for her protection or to avoid accidents. That night, Mary learned her stepfather had a bit of a jealous streak. One that bruised her hips and legs, an anger that made her throat raw. She didn’t go to school the next day. Sore and tired, Dawson left her feeling like something was broken. Mentally and physically. The swelling on her ankle throbbed throughout the night and day. The motionless girl laid in bed just the same as he left her. Naked and marked. As her phone vibrated on her nightstand, Mary counted how many times she missed a call or got a message. The only time she felt the need to move her aching body was when sounds started towards her room. Curling into a ball on her side, watching the door, Dawson entered. His face looking haggard, guilty even, “Are you okay?” She knew what he meant. Physically, not mentally. And she laid there silently. Watching him sigh and run his fingers through short blond hair, “Get dressed and we’ll head out to get your ankle fixed up.” He stated, leaving no room for any argument as he moved away from her doorway. She drew in a breath, gathering as much energy as she could. Knowing she had to move because the last thing she wanted was for Dawson to dress her. Touching her and holding her, making her feel sicker and sicker. So she dragged on a pair of sweatpants and an old tee-shirt, not bothering to look nice for a trip to the hospital. Brushing her brown hair and making sure she looked decent, no exposed bruising and straightening the bandages on her neck. The scratches were almost fully healed anyways, but still there. Faded little scabs that would get questions that she couldn’t answer.  
The brightly lit hospital emergency room was buzzing lively. As she and Dawson waited for a free doctor, Mary had overheard about a gang fight from the Southside. Mainly just broken noses and rubs between Ghoulies and Serpents. Even after hearing that most of them were already hauled to the local sheriff’s station, the girl worried that Fangs was there. “B-bathroom.” She mumbled to her stepfather as she moved to go down the halls. He gave her a nod, answering a call on his phone. No doubt from someone in the gang about the fight. Moving passed the bathrooms and farther down the halls, she noted the other side of the emergency waiting room was out of sight from Dawson. It was her first time at Riverdale Memorial, but it was a small place. And she found the other side of the waiting room clade in leather. Amongst the sea of Serpents, she found two familiar faces. “A-are you g-g-guys okay?” Her presence went unnoticed or ignored as she moved through the crowd to Sweet Pea and Fangs. The pair of boys looked surprised as the latter spoke, “Yeah, just a busted nose on Fogarty.” He stated, throwing his arm around his slightly shorter friend and grinning, “Although I keep telling him it makes him look better.” Fangs shoved him off as the Sweet Pea laughed. True enough, Fangs’ nose was bleeding from a bent cut on the upper bridge. Mary would have been more worried if they weren’t laughing and playing around though. Relaxing her shoulder, she moved to sit next to the pair, “I-I bet the o-other g-guy looks w-worse.” She joined in, bumping her shoulder into Fangs. The three shared a smile before Sweets nodded to her, “What are you in for?” He asked, leaning forward to look her over. Glancing to the hallway she came through and worrying her bottom lip, she hiked up her sweatpants enough to show her swollen ankle, “P-pretty sure it’s j-j-just a p-pulled muscle, but my s-s-stepdad insisted we c-come in a-anyways.” She shrugged, letting the pantleg fall back into place. As she moved to stand up, “I-I should g-get back b-b-before he f-figures out I’m n-not in the bathroom.” Mary moved to head back through the hall, but a hand grabbed her forearm. Turning back to see that Fangs also stood, he nodded for them to go to the hallway. Away from Sweet Pea and the other Serpents. Standing by the wall, the taller boy looked down at her with soft and dark brown eyes, “What happened, Blake?” His question caught her a bit off guard. Fangs was usually the bubbly and hyper one of the group, the one that was never serious. He watched her carefully take in a breath, “I-It’s nothing.” She brushed it off with a shrug. Because she’s had worse injuries, an injured ankle was nothing. Mary hated that it wasn’t fully honest, but he was a Serpent. And Dawson was a Ghoulie. And it would be dangerous to be honest with the other boy when her stepfather could kill him. Once more, like stepping on a cracked mirror, another break formed. Leaving before Fangs could ask anything else, anything she really couldn’t answer, the girl sat back next to Dawson. He was on the phone still, “Don’t make me repeat myself, kid. Get them into the school.” And hung up after that remark. She glanced at him, curious. Not enough so to ask what the man was talking about. The likely answer being Ghoulie related and she didn’t want to go sticking her nose into that mess. Content with the silence, the night went on. Two more hours and one X-Ray later, the pair were sent on their way with a plastic boot on her ankle. A hairline fracture. Dawson frowned, “I forget just how little you still are, Margret.” His fingers trailed down her cheek. His blue eyes shined with remorse as her own flickered to her feet. Watching them shuffle and trying to ignore the way his touch made her skin crawl. “How fragile.” The girl tried to ignore the disgust coiling inside of her stomach, like a never-ending pit. With a shuddered breath, Mary moved away and up to her room. The quiet house did nothing to soothe her as it had in the past. Her bed, still a mess of tangled bedding and bloodied sheets, mocked her. And she didn’t fix it. She moved to a corner of the room farthest from the bed and sat with her knees brought up to her chest. Resting her head atop her knees and closing her eyes, Mary tried to sleep. There were only a few hours left of the night and she didn’t doubt that she would go to school when the sun came up. Mary was looking forward to it. Seeing Kurtz and Fangs in school, just goofing off. She craved it. Normalcy and lighthearted fun. Anything to distract her. As the sun barely peeked into her room, she stood. Legs tingling and numb, but Mary moved to get a shower and change of clothes. The hot water turning her skin pink. Steam fogging up the room. For the first time in days, the girl began to feel human again. And she cried quietly under the stream of hot water. Arms around herself, holding together what she could and trying to remember to breathe. Trying to remember that this wasn’t the worst thing to happen to her.   
A block away from her house, Kurtz met up with her. He took in the boot on her leg and the bags under her eyes but pursed his lips and stayed quiet. He didn’t ask questions. The boy took her satchel from her and they walked in silence. Mary wondered if he already had an idea of what was going on. He had experience in shitty parents, maybe he knew at least some of the signs. It would be hard to miss and even harder to confront. As they moved into first period, Fangs pulled out her seat for her, “What’s the diagnosis?” He asked quietly as she pulled her book and notebook out for class. Shrugging, “J-Just a hairline f-fracture. What’d I m-m-miss in c-classes?” She redirected the conversation, looking to each boy as they pulled out their work. Kurtz handed her over his notebook, “Notes from the classes we share.” He explained, “Figured you would need them after missing a day.” With a smile, she looked over his neat writing, “Th-thank you.” Turning to Fangs, the taller boy gave an awkward smile, “I kind of slept through Chemistry.” Apologetically, he shrugged, “I’m sure Toni would let you borrow her notes though.” Mary smiled wider as if she expected that. She usually had to wake him up during class when she was there. Kurtz scoffed, “You had one job.” And the bickering ensued. Fangs crossed his arms, “Me? You were the one that wanted to ditch school completely and go get her.” The smaller boy blinked, a faint tint of red coloring the tips of his ears.   
Something Mary noticed and grinned, “Aww, y-you were w-worried?” She teased lightly. Watching him leaned back in his seat and face forward, away from herself and Fangs, she giggled. Mr. Phillips made his entrance and began class before any more could be said though and the trio straightened up to pay attention. As class ended, she packed away her things and Kurtz’s notebook, “I was worried.” His voice was quiet as he stood next to her, blue eyes meeting her own. A concern lined his features and red-colored his ears, but he didn’t turn away. Everything and everyone became background noises as she blinked. Her mouth felt dry, “I’m okay, Kurtz.” Her words unsteady because she wasn’t really sure if she was okay, but she didn’t want to worry him more than he already was. What could he do about it anyway? What could anyone do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters are going to vary in length because I get blocks and have small children that require my attention.


	9. Chapter 9

For the next few days, a routine fell into place. Kurtz and Fangs would carry her satchel throughout the school and sit with her in every class. Fangs ditched his Serpent buddies and Kurtz avoided the Ghoulies. And they were all hers. Making her smile and laugh at their bickering behavior. Indulging in being her distraction and crutches. At home, it was quiet. Dawson seemed to be back to work or just giving her space. He even got her a new bed with new bedding. The blue and black sheets silky and smooth, her favorite color. And it didn’t hurt to look at it anymore. And she could sleep on it again. Mary wondered if he noticed that her old bed went untouched. If he cared enough to look in her room every day and see it was still the same as before. She didn’t want to care if he did, she didn’t want to feel relieved at the sight of a new bed in a new position in her room. Still, she muttered a thank you to the man, enduring his hand coming down to pet her head while he gave a soft smile. A vague feeling of comfort eased her nerves as the days went on. Content with the way things were. And she supposed that was her mistake.   
Growing content with a façade of normalcy, something was bound to shatter the illusion. And it did. Over the course of the calm days, she noticed three things. One; Kurtz was canceling their tutoring sessions and didn’t walk her home from school anymore. Something he would do more often than not. Mary tried not to think about it too much because it could have been gang-related business. As much as she liked to pretend neither of her friends were in gangs, she acknowledges this much. Two; Dawson was suspiciously distant from her. After getting her the new bed, the man stepped back. He was out of the house more. Working, she assumed. And three; a new drug was going around school. Little straw-like drugs flooded the halls. Starting with the Ghoulies and then the non-affiliated students. Candy-stripped pixie sticks of Jingle Jangle.  
Arriving in English without seeing either boy all morning, Mary felt her stomach sink. Most of the class was absent. Missing familiar leather jackets and black clothes, her friends and their respective gangs, Mary pulled out her cell phone and called Fangs first. Her leg bounced as it continued to ring before going to voicemail. Sending him a text and switching to call Kurtz, her heart jumped when he answered, “It’s not a good time, Blake.” His voice on edge. With a breath, she asked, “W-what’s g-g-going on? W-where are y-you guys?” Her stuttered questions meeting a rough sigh. “Calm down, Mary. It’s just Ghoulie business.” The vague answer did nothing to calm her and she felt her chest constrict, “G-ghoulies and S-serpents d-ditching at the s-s-same time? B-b-bullshit.” Mary called him out, glancing around to make sure the teacher wasn’t there yet. “Where a-are you?” At the silence, she held her breath. Bated and waiting for Kurtz to say something. To tell her the truth or a better lie, anything.  
“I gotta go.” And the line went dead. Swallowing, she stood up on shaky legs with the intention of leaving class, “Is something the matter, Ms. Blake?” Mr. Phillips acquired as he strolled into class with the lesson plans.   
Stilling, biting her bottom lip, and considering what to say, “I-I have t-to go.” She mumbled, slinging her satchel over her shoulder. The man blinked in surprise as he set his things on his desk, “Excuse me? Class is just starting.” His words failing to make her stop as she moved towards the door. Her mind going a mile a minute on where Kurtz could possibly be with the Ghoulies. Where did gang fights happen? How could she stop this one? “If you leave, I’ll be forced to call your stepfather.” The threat penetrated her thoughts and she paused at the opened door. Only for a moment, she hesitated. Her friends or her stepdad? Helping Kurtz and Fangs or saving herself from punishment? Already, she knew the answer. And the door shut behind her as she made her way back to her desk with pursed lips. Because she loved her friends and wanted them to be safe, but a voice inside of her head reminded her that they chose this.   
Turning her phone off and hiding it in her bag to ignore the temptation, she went through the day with her head down and glassy eyes. Alone and worried. It was the first time she’d felt that way at school. Empty without her friends to fill in the void. The school was quieter too. No Ghoulies bullying kids in the halls. No Serpents chatting against the lockers. No fights. Just an echoing silence that she noted in her Journal during Art class. As school ended, Mary wondered if she should check on her friends. Find out what was happening and if anyone was hurt. So, she turned on her phone while walking home. Nervous as she had three text messages and a missed call from Fangs. The first message was from Fangs as well, telling her that the gang needed him. And that he was sorry. Mary messaged him back, asking if he was okay. The next message was from Dawson, explaining that he was going to at the ‘office’ all night. No doubt that it was Ghoulie business as well. The third message was from Kurtz. She opened it last. ‘Call me.’ And she didn’t. Mary put her phone away as she came upon her house, seeing a figure on the porch.   
Sweet Pea sat on the step, a black eye and bruised cheek, but otherwise okay. And he stood when she moved in front of him, dark brown eyes looking her over. The silence was deafening as she clutched her satchel strap. “We need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update might take a while.


	10. Chapter 10

Sitting across from Sweet Pea had never felt so intimidating before. Mary noted they have only had a handful of conversations in class, but he wasn’t smiling now. Now, his dark eyes were set on her with a frown, “There was a fight today. Ghoulies and Serpents, about the new drugs.” He began, voice deep and analyzing the way she shifted. “I-Is everyone o-o-okay?” Her own voice felt constrained in her throat, tight and worried. Fingers drummed on her jittering thigh, anxious. Sweet Pea dragged a hand through his black hair, “This time. But they were hopped up on something, Jingle Jangle.” He paused, glancing around the house and leaning forward a hair, “Are you familiar with it?” His question made her still. Shaking her head, “Wh-why would I-I know a-about d-drugs?” Mary stammered out. Her heartfelt heavy in her chest as his eyes narrowed, “Because I know about your dad being a Ghoulie.” The edge in his voice was enough for her to know what he was implying. That she might have information that the Serpents can use. That Fangs told the Serpents about Mary and her stepfather. And a cold sense of betrayal made her eyes water. Blinking fast and looking down, “I-I don’t know w-w-what Fangs told y-you, but I-I stay out of that s-s-stuff.” The hurt was hard to hide as she looked at her lap, trying not to cry in front of the bigger boy. Trying to hold it together because today was already wearing on her emotions. The stress and loneliness, and worry were enough to make her feel sick all day. And she felt ashamed that she didn’t do anything that morning. Ashamed that she sat in class while they were plotting and fighting against each other because she thought that they were friends.   
That Fangs and Kurtz would at least avoid all of the fighting and drugs because the trio had a good thing going. “It’s a gang, Mary.” Sweet Pea drew her attention once more. Watery blue eyes looked at his dark brown, “We’re not just some club that Fangs can skirt around or ditch. He’s in it for life.” Even though Fangs wasn’t fully a Serpent, Mary knew what he was saying. That the bed was made before she came along, and he was already lying in it. That it didn’t matter what she thought or wanted, still, she whispered, “I-I just wanted u-us all t-t-to be friends.” Naïve and childish, and broken. She wanted to keep pretending that everything was fine. That’s what she was best at doing. Lying to herself. Sweet Pea sighed once more, “We’re Serpents, they’re Ghoulies. End of story.” He paused once more, her heart constricting with his words, “It was never going to stick, Mary. You’ll have to choose between them, sooner or later.” And she nodded mutely, a tear descending without her consent.   
For the next few hours, she stared at the space where Sweet Pea sat. The boy was gone now, saying his piece. Her mind was mulling over what was said, slowly processing what to do next. There was nothing though. She either chose or they did it for her. Was she a Ghoulie or a Serpent? Should she stay friends with Kurtz or Fangs? Or neither of them? Pulling out her Journal from her satchel, she looked back at the beginning. It was new when she moved to Riverdale. Something her therapist suggested in Georgia. Reading over how tired and empty she felt the first few pages, Mary wondered if she wanted to go back to that. Being quiet and hollow while Dawson controlled what he wanted. And she read on to when she met Fangs and Kurtz in English Class, nearly two months ago already. Their project was almost due now. And that they hung out a lot and laughed even more. Two months was all it took for her to grow attached to the first people that gave her positive attention. It was a reminder of how desperate she was for friends.  
How could she choose between them?  
Before she had a chance to think more about it, the door swung open and Dawson was there. With company. Kurtz and another man followed behind her stepfather. The man had wild black curls and wore a leather and chain jacket. Fingerless black gloves covered his palms as he ran his hand through the inky curls, “Who’s this?” His grin like a predator as he eyed her on the couch. Tensely, she stood to head up to her room. This was very obviously going to end up being Ghoulie business and she wanted no part of it. Dawson drew his arm over her shoulder though, stopping her before she reached the stairs, “Margret, manners.” His words made her stiffen as he turned her to face the other man. Glancing to Kurtz briefly, seeing that he was just as tense, “M-Margret Blake, s-sir.” Her voice was barely over a whisper, but the man heard her. He reached out to her, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles with a mocking bow and sly grin, “Malachai; charmed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long. I'm tired a lot.


	11. Author Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Writers Block.

So, I've been visiting family and there's really no time for me to write. BUT; I've also been lost as to how to continue.   
If anyone of reading this, I need opinions.  
Should I go towards Serpents or Ghoulies?  
Kurtz or Fangs?  
comment or message me pls


End file.
